Growth clearing device



Feb. 14, 1933.

J. L. PITCHFORD n K GROWTH CLEARING DEVICE Filed July 27, 1932 Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES JOSEPH L. PITCHFORD, F BAUDETTE, MINNESOTA GROWTH CLEARING DEVICE Application led July 27,

rlhis invention relates to growth clearing devices, and its general object is to provide a device primarily designed for uprooting,

cutting and clearing weeds and the like from large areas of land, in an easy and expeditious manner, with minimum labor and effort.

A further object of the invention is to provide a growth clearing device that is simple in construction, easy to use, inexpensive to manufacture and extremely elficient in operation and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the V combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary front view of the device which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a detail view of one of the burr members in applied position to the chain.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail view of one of the .spiral members for rotating the device during operation.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating my device in use.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that my growth clearing device is in the form of a chain which may be of any desired length and includes end chain sections 1 that are approximately eight feet long and having connected with the outer end links thereof swivel members 2, the latter being of the usual construction as clearly shown in Figure 1.

Secured to the inner end links of the end chain sections l are burr sections 3 which include at least three links as shown in the drawing, and bolted or otherwise secured t0 1932. Serial No. 625,118.

each of the links of the burr sections are pairs of burr members 4. The burr members of each pair are disposed in face to face relation upon opposite sides of the links and as shown, are provided with openings to accommodate bolt and nut connections 5, the bolts of which extend through the links, and the burr members are each formed from a single plate of material, with inwardly curved teeth 6 formed with the ends there of and the teeth of one end are directed toward the teeth of the other end as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, as well as terminating substantially in parallelism with the body portions of the burr members. Due to the arrangement of the links of the chain, it will be noted that the intermediate portion of a burr section is arranged at right angles with respect t'o the end portions thereof.

Any number of burr sections may be employed, but I have illustrated three in the drawing, and the burr sections may be joined together through the instrumentality of a spiral link 7 which includes a body twisted in a manner whereby the ends thereof are disposed at right anglesy with respect to each other and formed adjacent to each end is an ear 8 which is provided with an opening registering with an opening in the end for the purpose of receiving bolt and nut connections 9 for securing the burr sections to the spiral links.

In the use of my growth clearing device, I connect the swivel members 2 to tractors,

in a manner whereby one of the swivel members is secured to one tractor and the other to another tractor as illustrated in Figure 5, and with the device disposed reasonably close to the ground. For distinction the tractors are indicated by the letters A and B and the device is moved backwards and forwards across the ground in a Zig-zag fashion. In other words, the tractor A is moved forwardly at an inclination and the tractor B is moved rearwardly accordingly, for the desired distance. The action is then reversed, in that the tractor B is then moved forwardly at an inclination and the tractor A is moved rearwardly, until the ground is completely covered and the growth removed therefrom, as it will be obvious that due to the cutting action of the teeth of the burr members, Weeds and the like Will be severed or torn up by their roots.

The spiral links 7 act to cause the chain to rotate during its movement along the ground, so that each and every one of the burr members Will be put in action during t-he course of progress of the device which is capable of clearing a relatively large area of ground in an easy and expeditious manner With the use of only tivo men and tWo tractors.

In practice it has been estimated that approximately forty acres of growth laden soil can be cleared with my device in a Working day and the device is capable of performing its intended Jfunction in an efficient manner.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is :f-

l. A growth clearing device for land, comprising a chain including end chain sections, burr sections having connection with each other and to the end sections respectively,

, means for swivelly connecting the ends of the chain to propelling means, and means for rotating said chain.

2. A growth clearing device for land, comprising a chain, end chain sections ineluded in said chain, burr sections connected With one of the ends of said end chain sections, swivel means connected to the opposite end of the chain sections for securing the chain to a pair of propelling means, and

. spiral links connecting the burr sections and being adapted to rotate the chain upon movement thereof along the ground.

3. A growth clearing device for land, comprising a chain, end chain sections included in said chain, a swivel member connected with the outer ends of said chain sections and being adapt-ed to secure the chain to a pair of propelling means for moving the latter in Zig-Zag fashion along the ground, burr sections connected With the inner ends of the chain sections, burrs arranged in pairs and included in the burr sections, links having the pairs of burr members secured theret0, teeth for the burr members and the teeth of each member being directed toward each other, and spiral links connecting the burr sections together to cause the chain to rotate when moved along the ground.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOSEPH L. PITCHFORD. 

